Blessed Soul
by inuluvskags1
Summary: Life is a fickle thing. It roars like a vicious flame one moment, yet it's snuffed out like a candle the next. Kagome has learned this lesson well. Her life after death proves to be more challenging and unnecessarily complicated than she had first thought. Between helping people and even gods, she becomes one herself. Pairings have yet to be decided.
1. Prologue

**Sorry for starting another story but the poll on my profile says to do that, so if you have something to say about it then go vote.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Inuyasha or Noragami, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Adachi Touka respectively.**

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Blessed Soul

_Prologue_

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Life is a fickle thing. It roars like a vicious flame one moment, yet it's snuffed out like a candle the next. It is the toughest of challenges, the most misleading of games, but it is also such a simple thing. No one can choose when to be given life, only when to end it.

It is a great mystery, a fantastic journey and it is at the same time a terrible adversary. The sweetest of dreams and the most frightening of nightmares; life is different for everyone.

Most people lead ordinary, mediocre lives that result in regret and the sense of something missing. Others try to live life to what they consider to be the best way possible, surrounding themselves in riches, knowledge or power.

Some commit outrageous acts, good and terrible. They murder, taking someone else's life as if by doing so their own life will have improved in some way. There are those who do such things of their own volition, yet there are those that think they have no choice.

Thousands die every day, though tens of thousands are born as well. Those that are lost cannot be replaced with those that are gained, but the ache left in their wake can be steadily soothed and the hole filled once more.

Death is a part of life, it cannot exist without it. Where there is life, there will also be death. That is just the natural order of things… Which is why bringing someone back from beyond the grave is a big no-no in this world. It goes against the natural order and it is incredibly unfair too. The person would not be able to achieve peace, and it would be unjust to all others who died without a second chance at their life.

There are many, many theories and beliefs concerning a "life after death", which sounds ridiculous when written this way. There are those who believe in heaven, a sacred place for the ones that did well in life, the ones who didn't taint their hearts with the darkness of sins.

With this comes the belief in hell, where the corrupted souls of sinners reside. Then there's the belief in limbo, reincarnation, Valhalla, Nirvana –no, not the band- and many, many more.

Going back to an earlier point, there are many ways to live your life. Boring, mediocre, etc. That sort of thing. Eventually however, along comes someone who is destined for a very amazing life, someone who will experience the most wonderful and awful things anyone can ever imagine.

Now this is odd, but there are only a handful of these that are born once in a long while. When they arrive, everyone is taken by storm, and they're capable of incredible things. Sad thing is, they can choose to live just like everybody else, a mere face in a crowd. Life is after all, a choice, and no one is supposed to change that.

Not even gods… but they do anyway. That's how the special ones end up on Earth, with divine intervention. In an even stranger case, one of these little special ones can become the divine intervention, (seriously speaking, all of us are the divine intervention in our own lives) changing everything that had been so meticulously planned for them.

And it just so happened that Kagome Higurashi, the fifteen-year-old who fell down an old well on her shrine and shattered a magical jewel, was among those special ones.

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**Feel free to tell me what you think of this in a review! I'd really like to know :D**


	2. Chapter 1

**And here's chapter 1, let me know what you think! Noragami characters will eventually infiltrate the story, please be patient until then!**

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Blessed Soul

_Chapter 1_

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It was funny, this weightlessness that her body now possessed. It brought forth the sensation of being constantly afloat. Why did she feel this way? Well, that's because she was dead of course. She had been for a while now. One minute she was in the midst of a fierce battle and then **BAM!** Dead.

… Alright, so maybe it didn't _exactly_ go down like that but she didn't really want to go down memory lane at the moment… Or ever if she had it her way.

Of course, fate or some other higher power thought it would be nice to make her reminisce as she watched over her friends. From a distance.

The day was bright with sunshine, cloudless and overall beautiful. Birds sang from their perches in the trees as butterflies and honeybees drifted from flower to flower. A soft breeze carried laughter through the air and tickled her exposed flesh despite the fact that she no longer had such a thing, physically anyway.

She found herself frowning despite the joy that observing her comrades brought her. In truth this day, so perfect and peaceful, was an exact replica of the day she died, four years ago. It had started out in much the same way, only to slowly deteriorate and become chaotic with war and demise.

Violet eyes drifted her way and she forced herself to smile at one of the few that could still see her. She received one in return, though much more sincere than hers had been. They would speak later, she knew and nodded at the man before he turned back to the two little girls that were tugging at his robes.

Her smile turned genuine then as she watched the twins, for they could see her too. She would often watch over them as well when their parents weren't around (which wasn't all that often but it still happened) and made sure they stayed out of trouble.

They waved energetically at her and she did so too, although her smile faltered when the pair's -heavily pregnant- mother turned to see what they were looking at. The woman raised a brow when she found nothing and shrugged before turning back to her children.

Her heart clenched painfully; sadly she couldn't see her like her husband and daughters could. The first few days of her death she had been able to at least feel her presence, though that changed when she married and her pregnancy hit. She couldn't blame the woman for moving on, of course not… but having the eyes of someone you care for greatly go right through you hurt, more than she had initially thought it would.

_Blood, everywhere… the echo of screams and the scent of miasma… death looming around every turn waiting for the next poor soul to take away. Oh how she wished to have been taken too, instead she was left there to watch as her friends mourned her loss instead of celebrating their victory like they should have been doing. _

At least her death had been quick, but no death was painless. Seconds, minutes, they don't matter when you're dying. What's the point of keeping track of time when every millisecond of it is filled with agony?

_What sucked is that her death hadn't even been at the hands of their enemy. No, perhaps it was an enemy, only one that had been disguised as an ally until it was time to strike. Quite literally, she had never seen that attack coming. She'd been far too busy with protecting a small fox kit and a little human girl from demon hordes to notice. _

_She did feel it as it pierced her left shoulder from the back however, and had felt as the projectile tore through cloth, skin and muscle, piercing an organ vital to her survival before emerging on the other side. _

_Yeah, that definitely sucked. It hurt like hell too. The pain subsided and she was back to normal, or so she thought. She managed to keep a barrier up to protect her charges, failing to notice the children's astonished and horrified looks until their cries reached her ears. Worried, she'd turned to them only to freeze at what she saw._

"Ok, that's enough memories for today," Kagome shook her head, trying to will the horrid image away. The former priestess stood up with a small grunt and left in the direction of the village with one last look to the happy family in the field.

Before she knew it, the sun was setting and shadows were spreading. For a moment the crimson sky made her stop to admire it. Dazzled, Kagome stared at the descending star until it was no longer visible. Shadows rose with the moon, but they dared not approach her for fear of being disintegrated.

It happened anyway, all because she made a habit of wandering and purifying as she went. The creatures that she called shadows, for they weren't yōkai, would only grow if she left them unattended.

This puzzled her the first time it happened and it took a long discussion with Kaede and Miroku to determine the cause of their continued appearance. In the end, it turned out to be negative thoughts and emotions that birthed the evil spirits.

They tended to be easy to get rid of, though it took much more effort to defeat the large ones. There were times when it seemed as if an ominous cloud had fallen over the village and it took a good while before Kagome could fully cleanse the area.

It had been a blessing that she still had her powers after death, but it shouldn't be surprising since they "stemmed from deep within her soul" according to Miroku. Speaking of the lecher, they were supposed to speak that evening.

"Ah, Kagome-sama. Nice of you to join me on this fine night," The violet eyed man greeted after she entered his home. She grinned and plopped down next to him, adjusting her red _hakama _and white _kosode _before she addressed him, "Did you need something, Miroku-sama?" Kagome asked, canting her head slightly in a questioning way.

He nodded as he tended to the fire, tossing a small chunk of kindling to strengthen the dwindling flames. Miroku smiled sadly at his friend and cast a cautious glance over at the straw flap over his shoulders, listening for movement in the room that lay beyond it. Satisfied, he turned back to Kagome.

"The villagers are making a shrine around your grave," the monk intoned, amused. The spirit looked at him with eyes wide in disbelief. "You can't be serious…" She groaned when he simply raised an onyx brow accompanied by a teasing quirk of his lips.

"Why? I'm just a wandering soul and as far as they know, I've already passed on."

Miroku turned his eyes up and away from hers, a suspiciously innocent expression on his face. Kagome's eyebrow began to tick as the monk started to whistle softly whilst tending to the fire.

Silver irises turned hard, gunmetal blue. "_Miroku…_" Kagome growled in warning and grit her teeth when said man chuckled.

"I might have let slip that you were the one behind the purification of bad omens in the village," he received a dry look, "And simply suggested something should be done to express our gratitude towards you, nothing more."

"Ugh, but _why_? I don't need them to "express their gratitude" in any other way besides being happy!" She whispered fervently, not wanting to wake the sleeping twins.

Miroku looked at her sternly then, all foolishness gone from his face. "You're growing weary, Kagome-sama. I can see it, yet you are unable to pass on. Something ties you here, prevents you from leaving and it is steadily draining you." He sighed, looking at her with so much regret that it nearly brought tears to her eyes.

"I know Inuyasha's departure left you sad and though Shippo's rare visits seem to cheer you up, you need something else. You feel purposeless, I know this because of how you immediately took on the task of purifying the evils in the village without either Kaede-sama or myself asking you to do it. I think this development will do you good, Kagome-sama. The opportunity to help those who request aid will undoubtedly arise when people start to pray."

He looked sad despite the ironic smile on his face. "We're hurting you, the ones who love you are causing you such pain. Sango doesn't even know and neither does Inuyasha. I do believe this will change things for you, it will give you a place to rest… if only temporarily." His smile wavered when tears gathered in his friend's eyes and he panicked as quietly as one could when she started to cry.

The deceased teen launched herself into his arms, which wrapped around her after the surprise passed. She mumbled thanks over and over again and hugged him for all she was worth. Finally, she wiped her tears away and sent him to bed with the reassurance that she would be there in the morning.

Curious, that. In the end it was him who received a promise and words of comfort, when it was her who really needed them.

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**End of chapter one! Please tell me what you think about it, and where this could go, any questions that won't spoil the plot will be answered in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 2

**It took me a long time to finish this chapter and I'm still not happy with how it turned out. But I made all of you wait long enough, so I decided to post it. Thank you all for your lovely reviews and adding this story to your favorites/alerts. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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Blessed Soul

_Chapter two_

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"_People only see what they are prepared to see." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)._

It started out relatively small, a temporary arrangement until the real thing was finished. Kagome didn't mind at all, in fact, she thought it was kind of cute. The _hokora_ was made entirely out of wood and stood no taller than the well it was backed up against. The village children that had known her made the small, house-like structure with their own hands, though most of them weren't considered children anymore…

Well, four years had passed since she died.

Today marked three months since Miroku first informed her of the shrine in her honor, but in reality the man had begun the operation long before that. He just… forgot to tell her.

They were building a shack for the well after they finished up the _honden, _or main hall, where the kami was enshrined… not that she'd spend the rest of her days there, she was no god after all. In fact, she hadn't seen the building at all despite it not being far from the Goshinboku.

As per her request, all of the trees that had been chopped down to make space for the building were used in the construction.

Miroku himself was in charge of the process, though that wasn't much of a surprise. Sango helped out wherever she could, usually away from her husband's watchful eyes. The woman was already in her third trimester and her baby was due any day now (she suspected it would be a boy with how big she was). Kagome knew this and hovered around the woman when she wasn't busy purifying shadows.

Kagome stared deep into the Bone Eater's Well, her mind miles away. Her hands stroked the old wooden rim before drifting to hover over the small roof of the temporary shrine at its base.

Maybe it was just her imagination, but she was getting a really funny feeling from it. Curious, she reached to touch it.

Two pairs of hands tugged at her billowing sleeves. When Kagome looked over her shoulder, she found Moeka and Nanako grinning up at her with identical smiles. Their hair was kept short at around chin length and loose for the most part, minus the small section that was tied up in a tiny ponytail. Moeka wore a pink yukata, while Nanako a green version of the same yukata.

In short, they were adorable!

Miroku and Sango's twin daughters were sneaky, yet kind-hearted little rascals that loved causing mischief. They could be found playing tricks with the other village children once out of their mother's sight, and while they could at times be a handful Kagome thoroughly enjoyed watching over them.

She squatted down to their size, her eyes twinkling as she asked, "To what do I owe this visit? Weren't you helping your mama with the laundry?" Moeka snickered and shot a meaningful look at her sister, whose smile got even wider if possible.

"… We finished! And papa wants to talk to Onee-sama so hurry," Nanako tugged at her sleeve for emphasis and Moeka nodded vigorously, "Papa sent us to get Onee-sama," Kagome grunted seriously. "You have done well, little messengers. Now lead the way towards thine honorable father." The girls laughed.

"Silly Onee-sama, our papa isn't honorable!" Kagome felt a bead of sweat run down her temple at these words, the spirit chuckled nervously as she wondered what Miroku would have to say to that.

The twins grabbed her hands and dragged her over to where their father was at. They ended up having a race to the Goshinboku with Kagome faking exhaustion and bending over, wheezing, to rest her hands on her knees.

"Ah… you're too fast for me. Go, leave me behind for I will only slow you down~" She said dramatically, holding the back of her hand to her forehead as if she were feeling faint while the other was stretched in front of her, urging the twins to go on. They ran back to her in a fit of giggles, and grabbed her hand to drag her along a well-worn path.

"You're so weird Onee-sama!" They spoke simultaneously, their voices still laced with laughter as they came upon their destination. Miroku smiled and tipped his head in greeting before kneeling, his arms stretched wide. The twins squealed and ran once more, straight into their father's embrace.

The former monk laughed as they pinched his cheeks. "Oh no! I've been ambushed!" Kagome watched on fondly, even with the painful longing in her heart. Miroku sent the girls to go back to helping their mother a moment later and they left in a whirlwind of laughter. Once they were out of sight, he faced her and beckoned her with an outstretched hand.

"Walk with me?" Kagome accepted the offer with a half-smile.

He then tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led the way deeper into the forest. They chatted amiably as they walked, with Kagome asking about the shrine's progress and commenting about Sango's pregnancy, which was nearly over.

"Hey… Miroku-sama?" The man hummed in response, showing he was listening. "Earlier, before Nanako-chan and Moeka-chan came to get me, I got this really strange feeling from the little shrine the kids from the village made for me."

"An odd feeling?" He repeated with a small tilt of his head, giving her an inquisitive sideways glance. "Are you certain this sensation wasn't brought forth by the Well?"

The deceased teen nodded quickly, "I'm sure it didn't come from the Well, because its magic is just there, you know? It's not active anymore, but this felt like-" Miroku watched as she struggled to find the words, "-like it was pulling me to it, y'know? It sounds weird, but that's the only way I can describe the sensation I got from it."

The young woman leapt over a fallen log with agility she hadn't possessed in life and waited for her companion to do the same. They resumed walking silently this time while Miroku pondered on the spirit's words. He had an idea about the "feeling" Kagome experienced, he just wasn't sure if it was accurate.

Seeing no other alternative than to express his thoughts, Miroku cleared his throat to gain Kagome's attention. When she blinked at him, he spoke, "I have a theory about this sensation of yours, Kagome-sama."

The girl in question eagerly gestured for him to continue, "Do you not think that perhaps it was the shrine welcoming you?" He watched her eyebrows disappear beneath her bangs and her stormy eyes widen incredulously.

"Welcoming… me?" She uttered with a hint of hesitance, as if she didn't really comprehend what he was saying.

"Yes. It was made for you, was it not? It seems rather likely that it would attempt to draw you in by way of greeting." Miroku answered, his head dipped in a small, pensive nod.

She still looked dubious for a moment longer, but accepted his idea with a trusting smile. "Ok, then that's that. Thanks for helping me out Miroku-sama." He returned the smile.

"It seems we've reached our destination. Watch your step Kagome-sama."

A dry look was the only reaction he received.

"Where are we any- Oh wow!" She gasped and took in the amazing sight.

A bright red tori gate stood sturdily a few yards away. And beyond it, Kagome could see hints of stone steps. The sight was so familiar, so like the one she'd seen continuously in her home in the future that her hand went to cover her mouth to keep a strangled sound of both joy and sadness from escaping.

Her eyes were starting to mist over when a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Now, Kagome-sama. If this is your reaction at seeing the entrance, I find myself concerned about showing you the rest." She gave him a light smack in the arm, a watery smile brightening her face.

They walked over to the left before Miroku did a 180 degree turn and led them in the general direction they came from. Trying not to question the man, instead Kagome followed after him.

_I wonder what he meant by showing… me… the rest… _Her thoughts came to a complete halt the same instant their feet did. The main hall she hadn't seen yet now stood right before her eyes. It was amazing. Just like she'd asked, Miroku had kept it simple and relatively small compared to the main halls in other shrines, but that didn't matter to her.

The gabled roof was leafy green, matching the surrounding trees nicely and was curved outward slightly. The walkway leading to it was made up of arranged stones fixed into a path. As the two approached, Kagome could make out the beginnings of a corridor on the side of the building.

Distracted as she was, Kagome didn't notice that she'd stopped walking until Miroku called out to her from in front of the new construction. "Kagome-sama~! We mustn't keep our guest waiting, come on." The woman gave him a puzzled look as she caught up to him.

"Guest? What guest?" The man smiled, but said nothing in return. Kagome harrumphed and crossed her arms, then set to focusing her senses on the inside of the main hall.

"Ah, no spoiling the surprise. Go and see for yourself." Miroku chuckled in the face of her irritation; the damn lecher was getting a kick out of seeing her annoyed.

"Fine." Taking her shoes off wouldn't make a difference (she didn't even leave footprints behind) but force of habit was a powerful thing. Plus, her mother had raised her to be respectful, even if it was technically her shrine.

Miroku did the honor of sliding the door open. When he too took his sandals off, they entered and were greeted by a familiar face. In the dim lighting they spotted two auburn tails and a pair of bright green eyes that stared at them from the corner of the room. Suddenly, the being pounced, colliding with Kagome and sending her sprawling to the ground.

The girl groaned, feeling arms snake around her waist and a face nuzzle her tummy. "Miroku was right, I can touch and smell you now!" The arms tightened around her when she tried to sit up. "Hello to you too, Shippo-chan," A glance at his twin tails had her adding, "Or should I call you Shippo-sama now?"

The kit seemed to consider it before shaking his head, "Nah, The Mighty Shippo has a better ring to it." Kagome rolled her eyes playfully and ruffled the fox's hair. They stood up and Kagome noticed with widened eyes that he'd grown at least another foot since she'd last seen him, he reached her hip now.

Shippo turned to Miroku. "I met up with Kohaku and Kirara on the way here and told them about all of this. Kohaku said they'll be stopping at a village in the Western lands before coming over here. He said he wants to help out and visit his sister… and count how many kids she has this time." He finished slyly.

Kagome giggled while Miroku rubbed his neck with an uncomfortable, wavering smile on his face. "Is that so…" He trailed off pensively. She asked the trickster about how he was and how Rin and the rest were doing, to which he replied with a small frown, stating the little girl was only a _little bit _taller than him at twelve years old. He was quick to change the subject.

Shippo smirked and then gestured grandly at the room, more specifically at the delicately painted fusuma in the back of it. The kitsune's fingers were lit by blue foxfire, illuminating the panels and the scene captured in them.

"This place looked way too boring for Kagome, so I fixed it. It's better now." He said with a small approving nod at his handiwork.

On the dividing panels was a complete painting of the final battle with Naraku.

Shippo made sure to include everyone who'd participated in it, even himself. Kikyo was there too, along with Sesshōmaru, Rin, Jaken, Ah-Un and Kohaku. The scenery… was the insides of a massive spider, Naraku's true form. The flesh was a slate gray and even with the discomfort the memory brought, they two humans had to admit the fox got the colors just right.

Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha had the Bakusaiga and the Tessaiga drawn, with Sesshōmaru's chosen sword surrounded in crackling green energy resembling electricity. Tessaiga was enveloped in a violet aura, obviously about to release the Meidō Zangetsuha with the underworld reflected on the blade's surface. Again, the pair was left dazzled when faced with the amount of detail presented to them.

Kohaku was using his chain-sickle to slice off an oncoming tentacle while on Ah-Un's back, the boy had his gas mask in place to avoid the poisonous miasma in the atmosphere, which was clearly painted in coiling purple fumes.

Beside them, Kirara was depicted furiously clawing and biting another appendage of Naraku, while Sango was drawn in motion, her fingertips barely touching her chosen weapon, the Hiraikotsu, before letting it go. Her husband rode with her on the fire cat, his left hand placed on top of his right wrist, preparing to unleash the curse in it.

Kikyo was a ways away from the main battle, looking as elegant as ever with her hand tightly gripping her bow while the other drew the string back towards her cheek, an arrow already in place. In one last attempt to defeat them, Naraku let the demons crawling outside of his body get in. Shippo drew as many as he could without it looking bad –it wouldn't have anyway.

It was surprising that the spider demon they were fighting against wasn't placed in the center of the detailed work of art, instead, right in the middle of it all was a shimmering pink barrier. Within the shield were Rin and Shippo, both children were looking at something above them.

Gray eyes trailed up the painted red hakama almost hesitantly, Kagome didn't even feel her feet moving or hear the other two trail behind her while she came closer to the fusuma in hopes of getting a better look. It couldn't possibly her in the painting, could it? She looked so… fierce. Did she really make that face when she fought? The spirit kept herself from touching the screen, barely.

She wouldn't say it was like looking in the mirror, because to her, it wasn't. The woman in the painting looked so much braver and prettier than Kagome could ever hope to be. The warrior's eyes were lit from within, resembling a lightning storm. Kagome wondered how Shippo was able to make it seem like they were glowing.

In the woman's hands was a crimson bow. She looked like she'd just fired an arrow and a blazing pink trail arched from the bow, going towards the humanoid body of the spider demon they were fighting. The light from the arrow brightened the half demon, Shippo made it so that the glow lit up Naraku's face as the arrowhead touched his bare chest.

That was it, the event that took place before death claimed her. Demons lingered in their enemy's body even after he'd perished and then that same body began to fall apart. There were no casualties on their side, aside from Kagome herself. Inuyasha hadn't been aware of her death when the horde of apparitions had been dealt with, or when everyone fled the body while it was disintegrating.

It'd been Kohaku who noticed the weeping children in the –still standing- barrier. The boy had been equally shocked upon seeing her dead body. The young slayer hoisted her small frame and carried her on his back to where Ah-Un waited, Rin and Shippo followed him diligently and all of them rode the dragon to where the group had assembled.

"Kagome?" Shippo called out with a worried frown. Maybe he should have painted something else. _She died right after this… _He thought, wincing.

The brunette shook her head and took a step back from the painting. After a deep breath, she turned to face the kitsune with a wobbly, but vibrant smile and opened her arms wide. The kit leapt into them, wrapping his arms around her neck and his legs around her, like a baby chimp would with its mother. Miroku chuckled lightly at the scene they made.

"I love it, it's incredible. Thank you for doing this for me." The teen whispered against his hair, knowing that with his demonic hearing he'd be able to pick it up.

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Shippo watched the spirit of his friend leave the main hall to "check something out" as she'd put it. With Shippo being a fox demon he was curious by nature. However, Kagome had been purposely vague about what she would be looking for. But alas, he had something to do too, so the little fox put that thought aside to ponder on it later and faced the monk, sitting next to him on the veranda.

"I saw Inuyasha." Blunt and straight to the point, Miroku noted in spite of his surprise. The half demon had made himself scarce after Kagome's death, not wanting anyone to see him grieve. Four years had already passed, but Miroku and his wife hadn't seen hide nor hair of their friend in all that time.

"I see. What news do you have of our wayward companion?" Shippo could see the man was trying to hold back a frown. It was obvious he still worried for the hanyō and at the same time felt disappointed with his abrupt departure. He couldn't blame him when he felt the same way.

Shippo's tails swished on the floor, resembling that of a cat when agitated. "He's staying over at Sesshōmaru's place and he's helping him out." He watched Miroku's expression carefully, noticing his eyebrows were raised so high they nearly disappeared beneath his fringe.

"Sesshōmaru-sama is _helping_ his half-brother?" He asked dubiously, his violet eyes narrowing in thought. Shippo nodded in turn and nibbled on his lip, gaze on the polished wooden floor. "Inuyasha, he- he wasn't in good shape when we found him," Cream tipped tails curled around him in a semblance of comfort, "I've never seen him like that before, he was so quiet and he didn't yell at me when I pranked him-" Shippo's eyes glistened with tears, but the young demon didn't dare let them fall. He was strong. He needed to be strong.

Miroku said nothing, watching the kit struggle to hold himself in check. It was an odd sight, since Shippo was usually very open about his emotions. No words of comfort seemed appropriate and so he opted for placing a firm hand atop his friend's head.

He thought about how the kit must have felt, seeing his father figure crumble and waste away after the death of someone he considered to be his mother. It was the second time a parent had been lost to the boy, how he managed to retain his cheerful and mischievous personality was something that still amazed him.

Lips trembled and pursed. Small hands clenched in the fabric of deep blue hakama. A sniffle escaped, then a muffled whimper. Shippo broke down, his head tilted back as he wailed. Miroku sat beside him silently, moving his hand so that it now rested on his shoulder.

"I tried everything to bring him back Miroku! I bit him once, but he brushed me off l-like dirt. He… didn't say anything, he didn't even look at me. Not once!" He hiccuped and rubbed harshly at his eyes in an effort to stop his tears. A moment passed in complete silence, sans the occasional shuddering breath on Shippo's part.

"And then Sesshōmaru had enough," He finally said. "He came one day and punched him in the face and Inuyasha got angry. "You bastard" were one of the first words I heard from him in almost two years. Stupid dog." The ironic smile on his young face made Miroku frown.

"Is the "stupid dog" still silent?" Miroku found himself asking. At some point Shippo had scooted close enough to have a black cloth covered arm wrapped around him, Miroku didn't mind.

The yōkai shook his head, "No… I mean, he's still kind of quiet sometimes but now he actually gets mad if I start throwing mushrooms at him. And-" This time the smile on his face was small, but sincere. "-Sesshōmaru still kicks his butt every other day."

"Ah. That certainly would help our hardheaded friend." Shippo snickered, much to Miroku's relief.

"You should see him afterwards. Sesshōmaru _always _makes sure to give him at least one good hit on the head, so he has this really big goose egg right between the ears every time he fights." It was unsurprisingly easy to picture what the fox was describing. Miroku wondered if he should feel guilty.

"So, how is our improvised doctor doing?" The question had Shippo raising an eyebrow, much like a certain lord they knew. "You mean Sesshōmaru? He's… uh, nicer? I don't know how to explain it, but he's different now that's for sure. Happier maybe, I've seen him smile when he isn't about to kill someone so there's that," He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Oh! He's teaching Rin and me how to write! I already know how to read, but Rin didn't so I'm helping too. And he's teaching me how to use a sword!"

He chattered excitedly about his training with Sesshōmaru and with the foxes in his court. As it turned out, the Western Lord had found a few experienced kitsune to instruct Shippo. The kit now boasted about his perfected illusions and his new found aptitude in plant manipulation. He'd always been able to produce mushrooms and acorns, but now he could make a sapling sprout from those acorns (or so he explained with a great deal of enthusiasm).

The hours flew by and soon a gurgle rang from both their stomachs. They walked into Miroku's hut with sheepish smiles and their hands over their bellies. Sango shook her head but still enveloped Shippo in a welcoming hug and serving dinner for all of them, including a couple of rowdy twins who were ecstatic upon the fox's arrival.

* * *

Earlier, when the sun was still high in the sky and the forest was full of activity, Kagome made her way back to the Bone Eater's Well. She stopped directly in front of the small shrine in front of it and looked to see if there was anyone around.

"Even if someone was here, I'd still be invisible to them." It wasn't a happy thought, but Kagome didn't mind at the moment. She sat on the grass for a while, letting the breeze play with her hair as she stared at the tiny building. Children could see her, as well as spiritually gifted people and a few demons (Shippo and Kirara among them). She was just a memory in anyone else's mind.

_Including Inuyasha's…_

The teen sighed and drew her knees to her chest to prop her chin on them. Her finger reached out absently, she didn't even register its movement until it came into contact with the wood of the makeshift shrine. The reaction was instant. She was pulled forward like someone had just yanked her wrist and the sensation of falling made her heart jump into her throat. Then everything faded to white.

She fell flat on her back roughly and it knocked the wind right out of her. Kagome coughed and gasped for air and blinked tears away, trying to regain her bearings and sit up at the same time weren't easy things to do. Once her breathing returned to normal the girl pushed herself up on her elbows to look around.

First thing she noticed was that she was lying on a stone path. The cobblestone bit into the tender skin on her back through her clothing and her butt throbbed from the harsh landing.

Second, right before her eyes was a huge traditional Japanese castle. It stretched as far as she could see to the left and right, and was decorated with several statues of animals lining the perimeter.

Third, there was a group of people staring at her with a mixture of confusion and shock. How she missed that was disconcerting.

Her face heated up beneath their stares. A woman from the group approached, her golden locks were pulled into an elaborate bun and the gorgeous layered kimono she wore made soft rustling sounds while she walked. Striking purple eyes softened ever so slightly before the woman offered her hand. Kagome accepted it with a grateful smile.

While she thanked the woman, she noticed a man trail behind her, eyes downcast with an overall shy demeanor. He peered up at her through his brown fringe and quickly looked back down when he noticed her gaze on him.

"I do not recall seeing you here before, what is your name?" The blonde inquired. The girl looked younger than her and was garbed in traditional shrine maiden clothing, but felt different from a human priestess.

"My name is Kagome," Her words were followed by a polite bow, to which the older woman nodded. "I am Vaisravana, or Bishamonten if you will," It was hard not to smile when Kagome's eyes went wide.

* * *

**And that's that.**

**Hokora: **an extremely small shrine of the kind one finds for example along country roads.

**Tori: **a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entrance of or within a shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred.

**Honden: **the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined deity. Literally means "main hall"._  
_

**Fusuma: **vertical rectangular panels which can slide from side to side to redefine spaces within a room, or act as door.

**In response to Yoruko Rhapsodos: yes, Kagome is a priestess. She is acknowledged as one throughout the entire series and the fact that she has spiritual powers marks her a miko to the people of the feudal era. Thank you for the review, as you can see I followed your advice ;)**

**ALSO! Yes **Julia N SnowMiko**, there will be time skips, or else this story will be incredibly long :D**

**im ur misconception, Pool-Senpai and The Path of Supreme Conquest thank you for your continued support! And to all of you wonderful guest reviewers too 3**

**And finally, thank you arans, gincitri, for your remarkable reviews, they certainly give me things to think about!**


	4. Chapter 3

**_Helloooo_, it's been so long since I last posted anything. I've been focusing on my classes a lot lately, though I am really sorry to have kept you all waiting. A lot of things have happened since the last update, the release of the new Noragami season _Aragoto_ is one of them. Gaaah I haven't watched it yet. **

**Anyway, I hope you do enjoy this chapter. **

* * *

Blessed Soul

_Chapter three_

* * *

Bishamon stopped her before she could bow again. "Tell me, Kagome-dono… How did you reach this place?" There wasn't anyone else with her and the goddess doubted she could have missed them if they had slipped away. The girl's appearance had been completely out of the blue, obviously she hadn't been expecting it either.

Kagome fiddled with the hem of her haori as she considered the question, despite still being in awe. She was in the presence of one of the most important gods in her religion, could anyone blame her? Still, her reply didn't take long.

"I think it was when I touched a hokora—" She paused when another man, this one much older than the other and far more prideful in the way he carried himself, joined in on the conversation. A young woman stood at his elbow, like the boy who stood near the blonde goddess. She felt different. Whereas the boy felt human and Bishamonten along with this new person had their own godly aura about them, the woman felt almost like… Goshinboku.

_So she's a… tree?_

"And that brought you here, yes?" At her nod he hummed. "I am Sugawara no Michizane. Your efforts in life were not lost on me." His eyes took a knowing gleam and Kagome ducked her head humbly in response, after picking her jaw up off the floor.

Now it was Bishamon who was confused, if her furrowed brows were anything to go by. "Efforts?" The woman quizzed and considered Kagome with a raised brow. The one in question didn't even get the chance to answer.

"Yes, the Jewel of Four Souls was vanquished by her." Michizane, known to Kagome as Tenjin, clarified, sounding a bit smug while he did so.

Now that seemed to shock the combat goddess. "You mean to say that _she _is the guardian of the Shikon? So young…" She looked younger than Kazuma. Of course, this meant she had perished at that age too.

"Um, yeah… That's me." The teen confirmed the statement lamely.

Tenjin chuckled. "The hokora you touched, it is yours, correct?"

Kagome nodded, not knowing what else to do.

"Then follow me." Bishamonten and Kagome exchanged glances at the commanding tone before both girls laughed and walked after the older man. The boy trailed after the blonde goddess, looking at Kagome when his gaze wasn't focused on the combat god. The black haired youth noticed his stare and wordlessly sidled up next to him when he wasn't looking. When his green eyes drifted to where she used to walk and found her gone, he blinked twice then turned his head woodenly to the side, spotting her next to him with a playful grin etched onto her face.

He jumped in fright and she snickered quietly at his startled expression. "What's your name?" She whispered, a smile still tugging on her lips. They walked side by side as the two gods in front of them prattled on and on about something or another.

The green eyed teen cast the pair a cautious glance before answering her in a low murmur. "Kazuma," He said it with a slight blush and another peek at the gods, or Bishamon if one desired to be specific. Kagome noticed and kept her giddy grin to herself. Oh that was so _cute_!

"That's a nice name," She commented and his blush only grew.

"Bishamon-sama gave it to me." Was his modest response. He saw her confused stare and elaborated, "I am Bishamon-sama's shinki…?" His statement trailed off into a question, Kagome still looked confused.

_Divine treasure? _

"A shinki is a spirit of a deceased human, a loose spirit that perished in an accident or was killed, that is chosen by a god to become a sacred tool," The black haired spirit raised a brow at the word tool. "Shinki have the ability to transform into an object for their god's usage, armor, weapons or something else reflecting the spirit's soul and the god's necessity." He was pretty good at explaining the new concept to her, reminding her of a certain monk with how patient he was.

"What can you turn into Kazuma-san, if you don't mind me asking?" Kagome asked while she kept pace with him, mindful of the cobblestone beneath her rice straw sandals. She didn't even want to think of how embarrassing it would be to trip in front of Kazuma, much less the pair of _gods_ walking in front of them.

The girl flicked her gaze sideways and blinked. She didn't know it was possible for someone to turn that red in such a short time.

_He's giving tomatoes a run for their money. _Kagome bit her cheek to keep her giggles in. How could someone so mature look so cute?

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, it's ok." She reassured, hoping her question hadn't offended the kind brunet. She had no idea if asking that was disrespectful or not, maybe she should have kept her mouth shut…

Kazuma shook his head, feeling slightly embarrassed about his reaction to such a simple question. Then again, he wasn't sure how the cheery girl would react to what his transformation made him. He faced a lot of disapproval back at the shrine, solely because of the object he turned into. He didn't want the girl to look at him the same way Bishamon's guidepost did.

He pursed his lips to steel himself. And then he finally answered in those soft tones of his, "I… am a, well… I pierce Bishamon-sama's right ear…"

Kagome nodded in understanding, "You're an earring then, right? I used to wear tiny purple ones," She pulled a few locks of ebony hair to reveal her ear, which had a small incision in the center of the lobe. Kazuma blinked owlishly at it and then looked at the girl. "The piercing should still be there, I think. I lost my earrings a long time ago though."

She shrugged. It didn't bother her anymore, it had been her mistake for bringing them over in those first weeks in the past… That was as she'd said, a long time ago.

Kazuma was still caught off guard by her words however… and still pretty shocked about her ear it seemed. Kagome often forgot about the seemingly minor differences there were between her birth era and this one. Earrings, for example, weren't the norm. Miroku had three piercings on his left ear, but that was because of his monk status. Or was it? She hadn't really asked.

"I am a nail… Kagome-san." He avoided her gaze by looking to the front. "A small one, that directs Bishamon-sama to her targets in combat."

His mind replayed his senior shinki's words. _"How shameful, to pierce our lady goddess' body in such a way." _The old woman had said before turning her nose up at him and leaving. It had been an unpleasant event, as many of his lady goddess' shinki were present. It had been fortunate that Bishamon was not there herself.

"That's amazing Kazuma-san! Bishamon-sama must be very happy to have you with her." Copper hair swished as Kazuma shook his head bashfully. While he did so, Kagome saw a small leather band gathering the back of his hair in a low ponytail that brushed the back of his neck.

The teen stopped walking suddenly and quickly held out an arm to keep her from going further and bumping into the pair in front of them. The _shiro_ that she'd seen upon arrival was bigger than she'd thought. The whole time they were walking alongside the perimeter until they reached the gate to the massive construction. The gate itself was impressive, a _tori_ tall enough for her to compare it to Sesshōmaru in his true form.

Bishamon beckoned her over. "Kagome-dono, this is the place where gods hold meetings and assemblies, gods' council. It is also the place newly born gods go to be recognized as such in the heavens." The group walked directly into the courtyard and veered to the left towards a smaller building. No one took their shoes off when they stepped onto the gleaming wood floor and Kagome had to keep her sandals on after an unsure look to the gods and the mysterious woman with them. They didn't notice. But when she sought Kazuma's eyes the boy gave her a small, but encouraging smile. He understood her hesitance at the very least.

It took a few steps down the hall to reach an inconspicuous sliding door, which Michizane's shinki –Kagome _assumed _that was what the woman was to the scholar god- pushed aside with a flick of the wrist.

"Michizane-sama, Bishamonten-sama, welcome." Two kimono-ed young ladies with charcoal colored hair pulled up in identical buns adorned with delicate _kanzashi _bowed deep at the waist in greeting, allowing them passage into the room. They closed the screen after them and sat down on either side of the doors.

Low desks were scattered all across the room, each with a mountain of scrolls balanced precariously on their surface while their owners continued writing with well calculated brushstrokes. It looked like a feudal office building, to her. Bishamon led her to one of them.

"Business?" The man behind the desk asked, not looking up from his work. He, like the rest of them, was garbed in blue haori and dark blue hakama with his hair pulled up in a topknot.

"Newborn," Bishamon answered in an equally stale tone. Kagome felt a pang in her stomach. The blonde said this was where new gods went to get acknowledged by the heavens, so why were they there? It couldn't be for her… right?

The man cleared his throat awkwardly, peering at the goddess fearfully before reaching for a blank parcel and writing a few things down with the recently dipped brush.

"Name?"

"Kagome." Michizane spoke, and Kagome felt a knot tie itself in her throat.

The man faltered in his writing before he set the brush down. He stood up with a murmured "one moment" and hastily strode over to another desk in the far corner of the room. He whispered something to the woman there. Both of them looked at Kagome, who met their stare with a raised brow, in spite of the dread she was feeling. They turned away quickly and she snickered, feeling some of her tension slip away.

The man came back carrying two neatly tied scrolls in his arms. Kazuma stepped up this time and took them, blushing at the blonde's nod of approval. Kagome kept her smile to herself.

Business concluded, the man once again knelt behind his desk and they left the room. It was until they left the room and the palace entirely that Kazuma turned to her. She looked at him questioningly and gaped when he bowed deeply at her, presenting her with the scrolls they'd just received.

"I, shinki of the goddess of combat, Bishamonten-sama, present these scrolls to you, Kagome-kami-sama. With these you gain the title of deity and are welcomed into the Heavens." He didn't show a hint of a stammer. It was with stupefied reluctance that Kagome slowly took the rolled parchment from his outstretched hands. She swallowed thickly, wondering what to say. The girl looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Welcome, Kagome-dono." Bishamon patted her shoulder and smiled kindly at her. The goddess then directed that smile to her copper haired shinki, who stood straighter with her eyes on him. He rubbed at his temple nervously before settling his hands at his sides.

Michizane chuckled, "Keep yourself out of trouble, _hm_?" He tapped on Kagome's forehead with his closed fan before departing, the woman right behind him every step of the way.

The rest of them watched him leave in silence, then they turned to stare at the new goddess. Kazuma gave the scrolls in her hand a meaningful glance and she unfurled the first one with a start.

Kagome cleared her throat and read the parchment out loud for the pair left to hear. "The Heavens have officially decreed that the former mortal Kagome Higurashi, human guardian in life of the Shikon Jewel, is now a god of mid rank with the formal title of "Shikon no Kami" and name remaining as it was. Should it be claimed otherwise, refer to this scroll… Well that was kind of short wasn't it?"

Bishamon laughed. "Do not expect much from the next one, it will be of a similar and unimpressive length." Kagome snorted with a shake of her head and unfurled the second scroll.

"Resident Registration, addressed to "Shikon no Kami, Kagome". I, servant of the Heavens testify the recipient's registration in the name of God. The recipient is now recognized as a resident of _Takamagahara, _along with any shinki under their care."

The pair watched the girl squint at the end of the sentence. "I'm a resident of… what now? What…" Bishamon took the girl by the arm then and held her hand out for Kazuma to take. "I will show you, hold on for a moment." And then they vanished in a flash of light.

* * *

"…and that is why no one should wake Sesshōmaru up from his nap. Ever. Only Rin can." Shippo finished his tale with a firm nod and a grin to his audience. The twins giggled while their parents chuckled at the abrupt end to the fox's mischief-riddled anecdote. He'd always been a good storyteller, though usually his tales were accompanied by a set of drawings the kit made himself.

Sango tilted her head toward her husband, "I didn't know Sesshōmaru _took_ naps." She whispered in astonishment. Miroku chuckled.

"But you did, Shippo-onii-san!" Moeka said between snickers and her sister nodded beside her, "And you're still alive!" She gushed. The redhead puffed his chest out, nose in the air and tails waving behind him.

"Of course, I am the Mighty Shippo! My craftiness is _legendary_." He told them, fangs gleaming with the light from the fire pit. A fly decided that was the opportune moment to land on his cheek.

"Blegh!" That was way too close to his mouth for the kit's comfort. He sputtered and waved his hands in a frenzy to ward off the buzzing insect. It perched on his nose and he went cross-eyed in an effort to keep it in his sight. Miroku shook his head at the youngster, who was rather occupied with swatting the pest away.

When the boy fell back on his rump, the twins launched themselves at him. Nanako played with his tails while Moeka entertained herself with the kitsune's pointed ears. Sango warned her daughters not to tug too hard, lest they invoke the _Mighty Shippo's _wrath. "It takes more than two little girls to take me down Sango!" came Shippo's muffled declaration, his face pressed against the floor since Nanako was sitting on his back. The slayer laughed at the sight.

He tried squirming away from the twins by transforming in a puff of smoke into his pink balloon form. They refused to let go and climbed on top of him. He transformed again, this time just to amuse them. They laughed at the pop-eyed chicken he'd morphed into.

Soon it was time for the girls to go to bed and Sango as well according to Miroku. The monk helped his pregnant wife up and into the bedroom. Shippo walked behind them; Nanako on his back and Moeka hanging onto him with her arms around his neck. He was straining to keep her from falling off when Miroku stepped in. He carefully took his daughters from the fox, who sagged thankfully in response. The girls were changed into a plain white sleeping yukata and their hair was let loose from the small side ponytail it was gathered in. Sango had already changed, fast despite her round stomach impeding much more movement than that.

Shippo stood awkwardly by the doorway. One of his tails curled and coiled around his leg, the other swished and swayed, telling of his fretfulness. To leave or not to leave. That was the question. He asked himself, imitating one of the plays Kagome had at one point read to him, fearing the answer if he voiced it out loud. It didn't occur to him that they thought of him as family. That slipped his mind conveniently at the moment, leaving him to shuffle his feet somewhat uncomfortably in the entrance of the room.

"Onii-san…" Nanako patted the space on the futon between her and Moeka. Sango smiled and nodded when he looked to her for permission. In two hops he was nestled comfortably. Less than a minute later, the girls were using him as a pillow. He hummed contentedly before descending into the land of dreams.

The minor shadows didn't dare near the hut, not with Miroku's wards in place nor Kagome's own aura lingering on the very ground it was built on. Shippo woke up many times that night, a growl in his throat and a glare narrowing his glowing green eyes to slits. He could feel them slithering outside, a few of the bigger ones venturing far too close.

The young fox slid out from beneath the covers and leapt onto the windowsill. He could see them easily, his advanced eyesight picking them apart from regular shadows. One of them was slithering like a gigantic snake around the hut. It had bulbous yellow eyes all over its body and large fangs jutting out from its oddly shaped jaw. It hadn't spotted him yet, despite all of the glowing irises along its length. The shadow's mouth opened a few times, but only one word seemed to escape its maw.

"_D… ie… die… die…" _It garbled in a repetitive hiss.

He breathed in deeply through his nose to calm his heartbeat. Sesshōmaru was training him; he had trained him for nearly five years already. And other _yōkai_ were training him too, kitsune like himself. One last calming breath and he held his hand out. Shippo focused on calling his fox fire to his hand. The blaze burned a bright blue on his palm before spreading outwards to his fingertips.

Flames morphed into glowing orbs. He flicked them off with the tip of his claws one by one, sending them straight towards the gloom. He winced at the shriek he got in response, but didn't waste time in getting rid of it. He watched as its long body burst into flames before vanishing. The rest of them scattered, the death of one of their own making them flee. The dark forest hid them well.

They didn't come back out.

"Hmph." Shippo gave a piercing look in the direction they'd gone before going back to the futon. He caught Miroku's eye on the way. He nodded his head in thanks and pulled Sango closer to him before going back to sleep. The fox followed the man's lead and was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

It was dawn when he opened his eyes again and he found himself crouched on the windowsill once more. The redhead scanned the area for a trace of the gloom and thankfully found none. Since he was already awake, he hopped off to catch breakfast. It was the least he could do for the family who'd accepted him into their home with open arms.

Sango watched him go through half-lidded eyes. "He's grown up," She murmured, feeling her husband wrap his arms around her middle. "He is still growing, dear one." He whispered back, "And we can only guide him while he does."

* * *

**And that's all for this chapter :)**

**What'd you think? Any questions? Are you keeping up with Noragami manga? ;) let me know if anything seemed off, please~!**

**Thank you all for your continued support. I like answering questions in chapters, rather than specific written replies, hopefully that doesn't discourage any possible doubts!**

**G'night y'all.**


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